Chicken 65

I love Indian food and I try to cook it as much as possible at home. I also love to eat out though and we recently tried out a new place, not too far from home. They had a dish on their menu that caught my attention: Chicken 65. The name was too intriguing, so I ordered it. It was AMAZING. Spicy, tangy and simply mouthwatering. So, I thought I should try my hands at making it at home. The first thing I did was to find out the reason why it is called “chicken 65”… apparently, there are a few speculations around this, but the most plausible reasons are that this chicken used to be item number 65 on the menu of the restaurant that first served it in the south Indian city of Chennai (also known as Madras) and that it was created in 1965. From there, this dish became popular all over India (and particularly in Hyderabad). You can easily tell that it is a southern Indian dish though: its spiciness and the use of curry leaves give it away quite easily! That sorted, Chicken 65 is a spicy, deep-fried chicken dish served as an entree or a quick snack. It’s also sold by street vendors and it is street food at its best! As Diwali is coming soon… what better time to share such an amazing Indian recipe?? Enjoy!